


Stages of Love (Hube and Nicola)

by EllieBiel



Category: Kyou Kara Maou!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22117624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieBiel/pseuds/EllieBiel
Summary: A collection of drabbles and short fic written for LJ community "stages of love" (the five senses).
Relationships: Gegenhuber "Hube" Griesela/Nicola





	1. Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Note: In the fandom wiki and OVAs, Eru/Ernst is referred to as Hube and Nicola's son, but back in 2006, the fansub series I watched referred to Eru as their daughter, so that's how Eru is referred to here.
> 
> Written in 2006 for LJ's [stagesoflove](https://stagesoflove.livejournal.com/) challenge: Five Senses
> 
> **Stage 1: Sight**

There weren't many second chances in life.

He should have died when Konrart raised his sword to him, but he'd been brought back from the brink of death. He should have been skewered on Gwendal's sword after attacking the new maou, but Nicola had thrown herself on him, risking her life and the life of their child, and he'd been spared again.

He should have been grateful, but it had made him angry, furious that she'd put his life above theirs. He'd been shocked as well, so when she pulled his hand and dragged him with her he'd not given it a second thought, using the sword he'd stolen as a cane as she led him away from the others.

It had only delayed the inevitable, and despite his quest for death by another's hand, he felt a twinge of sorrow when he faced Gwendal again. He was annoyed that Gwendal stated he'd fight him left handed, but he almost wished he'd had a better chance of winning, if only to let Nicola know she wasn't alone. He did the next best thing and asked his cousin to take care of her, and then he raised his sword.

As he fell from the parapet, his life flashed before him, and he was surprised to discover that instead of endless images of death, gore, and grief, all he could see was Nicola. The way she'd looked the first night they'd made love, head thrown back, mouth open, and breasts heaving. The way she'd looked the first time she'd ever smiled at him, ready to befriend a journeyman she knew nothing about other than the roughness of his hands as she clasped them in greeting. He could see her sitting with their child, a little girl who looked just like Nicola, and if he'd thought his life was full of regrets before, he realized none could compare to the cold bitter truth that he'd never get to see her grow up.

Most men didn't get a second chance, but he'd been given not a third, but a fourth. When he held Eru for the first time and looked down into his daughter's face, he swore that he'd never let there be a reason when he'd need a fifth.


	2. In the Middle of the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Stage 2: Hearing**

Sometimes it seemed like he'd never left.

He'd never forget what had happened any more than the rest of the kingdom, and if the loss of his eye wasn't reminder enough, every time he saw the new maou he couldn't forget that the boy-king possessed the soul of the woman whose death was on Hube's shoulders.

There was also the grudge that von Grantz held against him, and Hube couldn't say he blamed the man. If anyone dared to do so much as put Nicola or Eru in harm's way, he'd never forgive them.

He'd spent the last twenty years of his life wondering what might have happened if Julia had lived, however, and although it didn't assuage his conscience any, he suspected that Shinou would have only found another way for Julia's soul to be freed. The Original King would have to go through Hube if he ever thought to have plans for Eru's soul. He didn't care if his daughter possessed an unheard of mazoku power for one with human blood; he was not going to be a pawn in anyone's game.

In that, at least, he knew their young maou would be on his side.

He enjoyed evenings the best, just before supper, when he joined Nicola and Eru for a walk around the castle. Even with guards and patrolmen passing by, it was still one of the few times he got to enjoy their company alone. As much as he cared for Greta, she was the maou's daughter, and although she was family and he owed her a great debt for helping him escape his cell, he still treasured the moments when it was just the three of them.

If he'd ever thought humans, especially human women, were weak, he ceased to believe that when he saw the amount of energy Nicola spent every day. He'd never paid much attention to children and infants, and Eru was more than a handful even when he wasn't exercising his mazoku. Nicola seemed to have a sixth sense as to when a toy was flying overhead, for she'd reach up and catch it without a glance, setting it back down and ready to snatch the second one in its wake. All that and she still got up during the night when Eru's wailing woke them both. It was only during those late hours that Hube felt as if he were inadequate, for he could feel the bed shift and hear Nicola's soft tread just as his own eyes were opening, as if she could tell when Eru needed her even before she cried.

When his eyes flew open that night, like they did every night, and he realized Nicola's body was still pressed against his, he lifted a finger to stroke her cheek lightly, watching her eyes move beneath their lids. Eru continued to whimper and Hube knew if he waited, Nicola would wake up, the cheek that had been on the pillow flushed brighter than the other and half lidded eyes concealed by dusty lashes.

Hube slowly eased out of bed, doing his best not to disturb Nicola, and went to the cradle where his daughter lay.

When Nicola woke up an hour later, she sat up abruptly, feeling for Hube and stifling a cry of alarm. Eru was normally awake by now, and she threw off her blankets and slid from the bed, biting on her knuckle as she realized that cradle was empty. She looked up and noticed the leg that was visible in the moonlight, and she crept over to the rocking chair in the shadows of the room, first heaving a sigh of relief as she saw Hube sitting there with Eru asleep on his chest. Gisela had told her that it was normal to be a bit overly emotional for a few weeks or even months after having a child. Nicola wiped away the tears that spilled down her face, and she smiled as a soft snore reached her ears. She tiptoed over, kissing them both on the cheek, and wiped at her cheeks again once she was back in bed with the blankets pulled up under her armpits. 

Gisela was a wise woman, that was obvious, but it was also obvious that she had no children of her own. Nicola didn't think there would ever be a time when a sight such as that didn't move her to tears.


	3. More Today Than Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Stage 3: Touch**

No one asked Hube, and he was grudgingly grateful for that, but if they had, and if he was inclined to answer, he'd have to say yes. Yes, he did miss his left eye.

He'd adapted without it; there had been little choice in the matter. Despite the fact that he'd tried to find someone to best him in a duel, only Weller, and then Gwendal, his own cousin, had been able to defeat him - and they'd have done the same even if he'd still had both eyes.

As a soldier in the army, he'd developed a warrior's instincts for anticipating danger. It was something that helped compensate for his blind spot and saved his skin even when he'd thought that was the last thing he wanted. He supposed the survival instinct had been too deeply engrained for too long. There was no escaping the past, after all. All he could do was learn to live with the man that it had made him into.

Hube looked over at Nicola and Eru and mentally amended that thought. There was far more that he could do, and although he continued to wonder what he'd done to deserve a chance at happiness - at _love_ \- the days when he cursed all the mistakes he'd made were fewer and farther between.

Eru had seen him and was waving both arms at him wildly, her fingers grazing Nicola's chin. Even from this distance he could feel the warmth in her gaze and with long strides he joined them both, tickling Eru's jaw and smiling when she giggled at him. Hube put his arm around Nicola's shoulders and Eru reached for his hair, tugging it lightly with another gurgle of delight. He let her play with it for a while, tolerating it even when her tugs became more enthusiastic, and finally he tapped her tiny fist with the tip of his finger.

He wasn't sure which made his heart swell with pride and happiness more, Nicola's head leaning on his shoulder, or Eru's chubby little hand curling around his finger.


	4. Just One More Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Stage 4: Smell**

"Hube?"

Nicola was in his embrace, her cheek against his chest, and he could feel her eyelashes flutter against his skin like butterfly wings. For such a delicate touch, it always had a profound effect on him, as if Nicola had her own form of maryoku.

He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "I'm awake."

"Can I ask you something?"

Hube wanted to tell her that she could ask him anything, and if it was in his power to deliver, he'd do it without a thought. Although he meant it, saying the words aloud would sound more like bragging, so he kept the thought to himself.

"Of course."

Her fingernail made a long thin line along his skin. "It's silly."

"I'm sure it's not."

He could feel her lips twitch and he knew she was smiling. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Now she was making him nervous, or maybe it was just the slight chill on his skin from where the warm condensation on his skin quickly evaporated.

"Nicola, if it's something I can answer, I will." It was close enough to what he'd wanted to say earlier and much safer.

"When did you know you loved me?"

Had there ever been a single, defining moment for him? He was inclined to say no. During his search for the demon flute he'd learned some humility, but none toward humans. He'd merely tolerated them at first, then found that some of them earned a grudging respect. He'd never put Nicola in the same category as mazoku women like Julia, Celi, or von Khrennikov, but she possessed a strong mind, kind heart, and a stubborn loyalty that scared him at times. He thought he'd lost her once, long before she'd thrown herself between him and Gwendal's blade. They'd been on the run and had stopped long enough to get some water and a much-needed meal. It was an economy of effort, he'd reasoned at the time. If they skipped too many meals, they ran the risk of slowing their progress in the long run. He'd also been glad for an excuse to let her rest for a while.

He'd nearly killed her.

It hadn't been intentional. Neither of them had suspected anything wrong with the stew they'd been served, and as he'd watched her eat, he'd noticed that her cheekbones were more prominent. Hube had insisted that she eat most of his portion, too, and they'd shared the bread equally between them. She'd been violently ill that night. At first, he'd been convinced someone had recognized him and had attempted to poison them. Nicola had been doubled over in pain, and he'd been helpless to do anything other than to wipe her mouth with a clean wet cloth and press a second one to the back of her neck. When she wasn't vomiting, he'd spent the time rubbing her back and vowing to find whoever was responsible so he could tear the culprit limb from limb.

It had turned out to be a viral strain present in the local pheasant. Nicola hadn't been the only one affected, but she was the only one Hube cared about. He'd stayed with her for twenty-four hours, doing his best to keep her mouth and her clothes clean as she continued to empty her stomach even after there was nothing left. He'd been at war and had seen and smelled blood and death and exposed and decaying corpses. None of it had made him as close to throwing up as realizing that he might lose her.

Even now, the scent of cooked pheasant made him queasy.

"Hube?" she whispered sleepily. "Did you fall asleep?"

He hugged her tight. "No." 

Hube's lips brushed against the top of her head, and he finally had an answer for her. He'd known he loved her when he'd realized that although she'd die long before he would, he'd still wanted her to live through the night. He'd wanted to have even one more morning in which he'd get to see Nicola's eyes open. Having one more day when she'd look at him and smile would make him far happier than he deserved to be.

"I knew the first time you smiled at me."

She didn't answer, and Hube realized she'd fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head again. In the morning, when she'd wake up, open her eyes, and smile at him, he'd tell her again.


	5. Home Cooking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Stage 5: Taste**

Eru certainly seemed to be enjoying it, so it couldn't be that bad, could it?

That was what Hube told himself. He'd gone through hard times, scrounged for food, stolen it, gone without it entirely. He was long past the days when he could turn his nose up at simple fare, but he'd been back in Shin Makoku for a while now and he'd grown fond of the meals served at Blood Pledge Castle. He'd grown more fond of the simple meals Nicola prepared for the three of them. Today, however, whatever was sitting on their plates looked like it should still be moving. He hated averting Nicola's gaze, so he watched Eru pull a strip off it and gum it to shreds. 

"She really likes it," Nicola said softly, and since she was now looking at their daughter, it was safe to turn his head to look at her. He didn't want to use the blind eye as an excuse, but it was good to know that he could if he needed to.

He glanced at Nicola's plate. Had she taken a bite of it, or was the missing piece what Eru was gnawing on right now?

He was so busy trying to figure out what it was that he was caught off guard when Nicola asked him, "What do you think?"

Hube didn't think telling her what he thought was a very good idea. He'd been through worse things in his life, so he picked up his knife and carved a slice from a section that appeared to be burnt despite the appearance of the rest of it. Charred meat was better than raw meat, he rationalized, and with Nicola's eyes on him, he put it in his mouth and began chewing.

He was glad when Eru cooed and Nicola exclaimed happily. The moment her eyes were off him, he swallowed it whole.

He managed three whole bites before he realized that Nicola had yet to touch anything on her own plate. She was too busy watching Eru, and Hube thought that the first thing they had to get for their household was a pet. Anything that would eat scraps under the table could only be a good idea.

"I'm sorry, Hube," Nicola said. "You never did answer me. What do you think of it?"

"What's in it?" he said, delaying having to take another bite.

She glanced at Eru again to make sure their daughter hadn't crawled away and out of sight, something she was very good at, and picked up her own silverware. 

"I'm not sure," she confessed. "This came from Lord Weller."

Hube put his hand out to prevent her from bringing the fork to her mouth. He loved her, after all. It was his duty to protect her from harm. At least Eru had maryoku, and besides, her taste buds were hardly developed.

"This," he poked his knife into it, "is from Lord Konrad Weller."

"Mmm hmm," she said. "That's right. I think he made it himself."

Hube got up from the table, picked her up, and twirled her around. "The kingdom's best swordsman," he told her, "is a terrible cook."

It made a strange sort of sense, if one considered Gwendal's and Wolfram's artistic efforts. It obviously ran in the family. 

"Konrad Weller is only human," he added. He didn't mean it as a compliment.

"I almost forgot," Nicola said. "I also have some tarts from the castle, too." She looked around. "Eru?" She got to her feet. "Eru! Where are you?"

Hube looked under the table where his daughter sat with a big streak of icing across her cheek and an even bigger smile. Upon seeing her father, she crawled over to him, gurgling happy. He pulled Nicola into his lap and she reached down to pick up their errant child. Eru had eaten every last one of the tarts. Hube looked over at his plate, with only a few bites taken out of it, and then at Nicola's. More than half was gone, and Nicola hadn't eaten any of it. Eru was clapping her hands and clearly expected her parents to do so as well. Hube looked at the empty dessert plate under the table and back at his daughter, and with a smile gracing his lips, clapped his hands, too.

She definitely deserved it.


End file.
